I’m wondering if my coil is going bad

[katy]

Have you tested the readings across the terminals ?

do I need to disconnect the wires on the terminals?

You'll have to disconnect at least one of the low tension wires.

There is no apparent way for me to stretch my wires to reach the coil terminals if I turn the coil right-side-up.

For a trial run, get a piece of stranded wire (8 - 10 inches long)and put a ring terminal on each end, use a small machine screw (#6 or #8) to connect one end of the wire to the wire that came off the coil, tape it up. put the other end on the coil, simples.